The company will be opening 25 new stores in 2012 as there are more than 6 million households that do not have a Morrisons store within easy driving distance.
Many of the new opportunities will be craft skills jobs such as butchery, bakery and fishmongery. Morrisons unique strength is in the preparation of quality fresh food through its market street concept.
Typically more than half the new employees at a new store are previously unemployed and 75% are typically from the local area of the store.
Morrisons also aims to be a catalyst for employment in a town by insisting that building suppliers also employ local people.
There will also be another 300 people employed at Morrisons' new Bridgwater Regional Distribution Centre, which will provide food for much of the South West and South Wales.
Norman Pickavance, group HR director at Morrisons, said: "Despite the difficult economic conditions, Morrisons continues to have ambitious growth plans and that means we will be searching for people to join us in the communities in which we operate.
"At a time when the number of young and long-term unemployed continues to increase we will provide opportunities for many people and help them build a career in retailing. That means we won't just be providing a job we're committed to training our new colleagues so that they have the capability to move from the shop floor to the top floor.
"We feel that the catalyst we are providing is key to moving people from being excluded to being included by providing people with work, dignity and opportunity."
Morrisons will also be continuing its Futures Programme where it looks for 1,000 new leaders of the future.
